No. 20 · 31 Oct 2026 · 0:28
Why Taillights Are Cut in Two
On many cars the taillight is split: one half sits on the body, the other on the boot lid.
From the video's description
On many cars the taillight is split: one half sits on the body, the other on the boot lid. When the boot opens, the lid's half points at the sky, so the half on the body keeps the car visible from behind. In Europe, UN Regulation 48 only allows tail lights and indicators on a boot lid if they still work when it's open, if the half on the fixed part does the job, or if extra lights switch on. Some cars, like the Volvo XC90, even switch their rear lights on by themselves when the tailgate opens in the dark.
The 3D is a reconstruction; the light beams are drawn to show which way each half points.
Sources: UN Regulation No. 48, paragraphs 5.18–5.21; NHTSA interpretation letter to Mazda, 28 June 1985; Volvo XC90 owner's manual, "Position lamps".
Credits
• "Tesla 2018 Model 3" by uchiha.321abc, CC BY 4.0, https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/tesla-2018-model-3-5ef9b845aaf44203b6d04e2c677e444f
• "2018 Ford Everest/Endeavour" by BHP3D, CC BY 4.0, https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/a6681649d203483c95239c4b73157697
• Sky, textures, trees and street lamps: Poly Haven (CC0)
• Sound effects (CC0, Freesound): Jimbalaya, abomfim, AndrewAlexander, GiocoSound
